


The other side of the coin

by novacorpsrecruit



Category: Fantastic Four (Comicverse), Spider-Man (Comicverse)
Genre: Clone Angst, M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 00:08:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17776814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novacorpsrecruit/pseuds/novacorpsrecruit
Summary: Maybe this was Johnny's chance. He should tell Peter to lighten up. Make a joke. Break the ice and go from there. If they were both at the same bar, it wouldn’t be too far off to say they were both here for the same reasons. Johnny needed to make a move before it’s too late.Except the closer he got, the more he realized that this wasn’t Peter.Not exactly.





	The other side of the coin

**Author's Note:**

> hi hello i have a niche pairing of spider-clones/johnny and a bad habit of not editing. i'm sorry about that

Johnny would be lying if he said that he didn’t think about making out with his best friend.

He would be lying he if he said he only thought about it once or twice. Hell, he knew it was way more than that.

He found himself daydreaming about the way Peter would kiss his neck, ever so gently, taking in the warmth of his skin against his lips. The way that Peter would map his body with his lips, every once in a while nibbling a little too hard, just before soothing the bite with a gentler kiss. The way he’d run his tongue over Johnny’s lips, encouraging Johnny to split his lips so he could taste him better. The way he would draw out “beautiful” between kisses against his skin.

Sometimes, it was just a quick thought, as Peter laughed at Johnny’s jokes, his mouth easily the sole focus of Johnny’s attention.

Sometimes, it was a long evening alone with wandering hands, thinking of the strength behind Peter’s. Thinking about how gentle they would be as his thumb brushed against his neck or how they ran down his body. He wondered if Peter would find use to his strength, squeezing his hips a brush past too tight or how he would effortlessly lift Johnny to reposition him. How Peter would satisfy him when Johnny would beg him to go harder.

Johnny imagined Peter being a talker.

Commentating on every move. Soft talk between kisses. Dirty talk between moans. Wisecracks between thrusts.

He’d call him “Hot Stuff” and “Pretty Boy” and actually mean it.

Johnny wanted him to say, “I love you, Torch,” and actually mean it.

Tonight, Peter wasn’t making it any easier on Johnny.

Peter was being overly touchy – a hard to the hook of his elbow to pull him in a different direction, an arm slung carelessly over his shoulder when he needed to express boredom between fights, shove to the chest when Johnny clearly wasn’t listening. It wasn’t something new or unusual, but Johnny noticed tonight.

He noticed most nights, but the _really_ noticed tonight.

And it didn’t help that Peter was heavy with nicknames today.

God.

Johnny needed a drink.

Once they split for the night, Johnny with promises of turning in early turning into a snug white t-shirt, distressed jeans and a little extra hair product before he was back out the door.

The bar was overcrowded and smelled strongly of nicotine and mistakes. Johnny half considered turning around, finding another spot or even going home. But he was here, and he might as well make the best of it.

He worked his way to the bar, pushing through the sea of (thankfully) unfamiliar faces. No awkward small talk. No “hey, what are you doing here?” or awkward glances throughout the night. Just a night of Johnny alone with random strangers.

Maybe he’ll find his perfect stranger here –

Johnny stopped in his tracks.

 _One_ familiar face.

Peter sat at the bar, alone. A beer bottle in his hand and his brow furrowed. He looked upset. Or thinking a little too hard. Maybe, the music was too loud and he couldn’t hear himself think. Johnny wasn’t sure whether he should go talk with him or if he should leave. He didn’t think he would find Peter here of all places —

“Move!”

Someone shoved their shoulder hard into Johnny’s, fighting their way through the crowd. He was in the way.

Peter looked up and in Johnny’s direction, focusing more on the man that walked through Johnny than Johnny himself. His brow still furrowed. Johnny always wanted to smooth those lines with his thumb, gentle and sweet to calm him down.

Maybe this was his chance. He should tell Peter to lighten up. Make a joke. Break the ice and go from there. If they were both here, it wouldn’t be too far off to say they were both here for the same reasons. The bar wasn’t the most secluded place Peter could’ve gone to. Johnny needed to make a move before it’s too late.

Except the closer he got, the more he realized that this wasn’t Peter.

Not _exactly_.

His shoulders were broader — as if that was even possible. His hair was longer, brushed loosely out of his face. And that familiar jawline, the one that Johnny had longingly thought about kissing, was slightly wider and covered in stubble. There were marks on his skin, Johnny couldn’t figure out what they were until he was next to him. Scarring, from cellular degeneration. He remembered hearing Peter and Reed talk about it – about _who_ Peter knew who had it.

Maybe finding a familiar face in the bar wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

”I’m assuming you’re Kaine,” Johnny said, sliding onto the barstool. He waved his hand in an attempt to get the bartender’s attention. “Since you’re alive and all.”

“Is that a joke?” Kaine gruffed. He glanced over toward Johnny, his stare sharp as daggers. His eyes quickly looked over Johnny’s face, as if they were searching for an answer. Suddenly, Johnny felt unsure and vulnerable. He knew this wasn’t Peter – he should’ve known that Kaine wouldn’t react in the same way Peter would’ve. The few times Peter talked about his clones, he stressed how different they were. That they might share DNA, but they were not the same man.

Johnny slipped off the stool. He wasn’t welcomed. He should’ve left Kaine alone. “Yeah, sorry I –“

Kaine grabbed Johnny’s arm, stopping him from going anywhere. “Don’t.” Kaine studied Johnny for a moment before closing his eyes and sighed. “Apologize. Sorry.” He let go of Johnny. His hand stayed up, awkwardly opening and closing his hand, as if he was trying to figure out what he just did. He shook his hand, then grabbed the beer bottle again. “Stay. I’ll buy you a drink.”

“Drinks. Plural,” Johnny smirked, sitting back on the stool. He leaned over the bar and gave a quick shout to grab the bartender’s attention.

“You’re pushing it, Storm,” Kaine mumbled, running his thumb along the top of his bottle. Johnny almost missed the smirk that played on his lips.

Almost.

Johnny leaned back as soon as the bartender made his way over, taking their orders – another beer for Kaine and a Cosmo for Johnny. As soon as the bartender walked away, Johnny continued to talk.

“So, you _do_ know who I am,” Johnny said, leaning against the bar, his attention glued to Kaine.

“Everyone in the damn world knows who you are,” Kaine said, taking a sip of what was left of his beer. “You’re on billboards, TV, movies. Where wouldn’t I have seen you?”

“In person.”

“You’re funny, Storm,” Kaine said unenthusiastically, handing his empty beer bottle to the bartender when he walked by with their drinks. Johnny stirred his drink with the small black straw, his eyes glued to Kaine. It was uncanny how much Kaine looked like Peter. Kaine was the imperfect clone, one of the firsts. Cursed with, then cured of cellular degeneration, then it was brought back by New U Technologies. But he still looked like Peter. “He’s not dead.”

“Who?”

“Ben,” Kaine said. “The other clone.”

“Does … Peter know?”

“It’s … complicated.”

“Anything regarding Peter is complicated,” Johnny laughed. “I figured you would know that best.”

“You got that right,” Kaine said. “Did he tell you about us – about Ben and me?”

“I mean, kind of,” Johnny shrugged. “Nothing too much, really. Just that you exist.”

“Figures,” Kaine said.

“Did he say anything about me?” Johnny asked in return.

“Not really,” Kaine said.

“Figures.” Johnny’s shoulders slumped, but he’s not sure why he’s surprised. Sometimes, he felt like his friendship with Peter always stopped short of where he wanted it to be. But it was Peter that always gave him hope that there could be more.

Despite being in the noisy bar, an awkward silence grew between the two men as the conversation died. Maybe it was a hint for Johnny to take. Finish his drink and leave. Find someone else. Maybe somewhere else. Or just go home.

Kaine piped up before Johnny had time to tip his glass back.

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?”

“In a place like this,” Kaine said. “It doesn’t seem like your type.”

“And my type?” Johnny raised an eyebrow.

“Loud, obnoxious,” Kaine glanced around at the shitty bar. “With a VIP section with endless champagne and that weird foam stuff.”

“You need to stop reading tabloids,” Johnny said, turning on the barstool to face out. The bar wasn’t the best, but at least it was honest. Or as honest as a bar could get. At least here, he didn’t have to act like he was someone else. He didn’t have to be fake or pretend he was enjoying the scene. “I’ve only been to a foam party once.”

“I meant interesting,” Kaine said. “A club that’s interesting and not a shitty bar.”

“I just needed a drink,” Johnny said, leaning back against the bar. “A drink and a … _distraction_.”

“A distraction?” Kaine repeated. He looked over at Johnny. Johnny shrugged. He needed a distraction from his life. From the alien invasions and weird multidimensional portals.

From Peter.

He needed a distraction that he could take home. A distraction that would tell him not to worry. A distraction that would press hot kisses against his throat taking the edge off of his frustrations. He just … needed to find his distraction in the bar.

Kaine took a long swing of his beer before setting it aside and digging for his wallet. “Yeah. Me too.”

Johnny didn’t notice Kaine was getting ready to leave until he tapped his arm with the back of his hand.

“C’mon, finish your drink,” Kaine said, putting his wallet back into his pocket, tossing a twenty on the bar to cover the tab.

“What?”

“Let’s go,” Kaine said. “We both need a distraction. So let’s go.”

“A _distraction_ ,” Johnny repeated. He turned around and picked up his cocktail, taking a long drink. “Yeah, let’s go … Where?”

“My place,” Kaine said. He placed his hand in the hook of Johnny’s arm, gently pulling. Johnny knew he could pull harder. Johnny _wanted_ him to pull harder, but he wouldn’t need to use that strength to get Johnny to follow him anyway.

\-----

Johnny wasn’t sure what he was expecting when Kaine had suggested his place. Maybe a cheap hotel where you want to wear shoes throughout the room, or maybe an apartment that he broke into while the tenant was gone. Maybe even an empty warehouse with rats for roommates. He was expecting the worst and he should’ve suggested his place instead.

Johnny absolutely wasn’t expecting was a room at Four Seasons.

He also wasn’t expecting Kaine to off-handedly say that it’s not as nice as the one he had in Houston.

Johnny wanted clarification. Johnny wanted to know how Kaine could afford it when he lived relatively unknown.

He _wanted_ to get the words out, but Kaine’s hands on his hips stopped anything from coming out. Johnny was setting his leather jacket on a chair near the entrance when Kaine placed his hands on his hips, attempting to lead him in further into the bedroom. His brain stuttered as Kaine pressed a kiss against his neck. It was almost too easy for him to imagine Peter was the one kissing him.

At least, it was until Kaine stopped.

“Sorry, I –” Kaine apologized, pulling away from Johnny. Johnny looked startled, like he wasn’t expecting Kaine to touch him. It was a misunderstanding. Why would _he_ want Kaine? “I thought we wanted the same distraction. I didn’t –“

Johnny grabbed Kaine’s arm, pulling him back in and crashing their lips. This is the exact distraction he needs.

Kaine took a moment – registering Johnny’s actions – before he kissed back. He wrapped his arms around Johnny’s waist, pulling him toward the bed.

Kaine sat down as soon as he felt the bed hit his legs, pulling Johnny on his lap, desperately trying not to break their kiss. Kaine’s hands restlessly touched Johnny’s back, his fingers moved almost as if they were strumming strings. His palms still, never fully letting go of Johnny. Kaine ran a hot tongue across Johnny’s lips, begging for a taste of Johnny.  

Kaine pulled Johnny’s simple, too tight white t-shirt off, quickly returning his hands back to his waist. Johnny closed his eyes at his touch – gentle and soft – as his fingers ran up his sides to his rib cages. Johnny nipped at Kaine’s lips, quickly deepening the kiss as Kaine pulled him back on the bed. Johnny rocked his hips against Kaine’s, pulling a low moan from his lips.

“C’mon, lean up,” Johnny mumbled against Kaine’s lips, taking the edge of his shirt in his hand, tugging gently. Kaine hesitated for a moment, his hands still against Johnny’s sides, before giving in and complying. He leaned off the bed, following Johnny’s lips as he leaned back. Johnny pulled Kaine’s shirt up, breaking their kiss as he lifted it over his head and tossed it aimlessly on the floor.

With eyes closed, Kaine waited for Johnny. Waiting for Johnny to come back to him. Waiting for rejection. His full vulnerability – his scars, his imperfections – was out to Johnny.

Johnny slowly ran his hand up Kaine’s chest, then down his tattooed arm. “God, you’re hot,” He mumbled as he leaned back in, closing the gap between them.

Kaine wrapped his arms tightly around Johnny’s waist, pulling him backward on the bed, not allowing their lips to part. It was too hard to keep away from Johnny. His touch hot and sweet at the same time, he could only crave more.

But Kaine could never have this life – he could never love the people Peter loves. He’ll never get to know Aunt May. He’ll never have a friendship with Mary Jane or Harry or Flash. He’ll never truly get to love Johnny, not in the way that Peter could. Even if they could make this work, Peter would always get in the way. Johnny was a part of Peter’s life, and there will never be a way to separate that. Johnny would always want Peter. Kaine would always want to be Peter.

But Kaine could pretend. He could indulge in a life that he will never make.

“You’re thinking,” Johnny nipped Kaine’s lips.

“As one does.”

“You think too much,” Johnny said. _Like Peter._ Except, Peter had a habit of saying what he thought. Kaine was stoic. Johnny ran his hand up Kaine’s chest, lightly tracing over the scars that branched out on his skin. He curled his hand to the back of Kaine’s neck, guiding him back to his lips. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“Earlier,” Kaine said between a kiss. “You said I’ve never seen you in person. You’re wrong.”

“Oh am I?” Johnny grinned, leaning in, closing what little space was between them.

“Yeah,” Kaine mumbled through the kiss before moving his lips across Johnny’s jaw. Johnny threaded his fingers in Kaine’s hair as he leaned his head back, extending his neck for Kaine. Kaine punctuated his sentences with hot kisses against Johnny’s skin. “I saw you in another universe – another Earth.”

Kaine nipped at Johnny’s throat, pulling a soft moan from Johnny’s lips.

“Granted, you were trying to kill me,” Kaine sounded like he chuckled. “Head of security for an Inheritor …”

Kaine trailed off, lips pressed against Johnny’s neck, remembering the rest of that day. Not a good memory, but a strong one. He watched Ben Reilly die. A different Ben. A good man. A better person than he would ever be. At that time, his Ben was dead. He died good, too. Watching this other Ben, another Earth’s version of his brother, sacrifice himself for the greater good – so _he_ could survive – hurt too much. Their deaths made Ben Reilly’s unveil as the Jackal fill Kaine’s body with anger.

“You’re thinking again,” Johnny said, combing his fingers through Kaine’s hair, brushing loose locks back. Johnny closed his eyes as Kaine kissed his shoulder. “Was alternate universe me hot?”

“Even with that dumb haircut and uniform,” Kaine said, his mouth skirting the crook of his neck. “You always look good, Johnny. You’re gorgeous. Always gorgeous.”

Johnny pulled Kaine up and kissed him hard.

He’s ached for to hear Peter call him gorgeous. For him to say it and mean it. _Really_ mean it. Kaine wasn’t Peter – but god, he sure sounded like him.

And maybe that was the truth of why Johnny approached Kaine at the bar. He wasn’t Peter, but Johnny could surely fool himself that he was. He looked like him. He sounded like him. He felt like him. If Johnny could get Kaine to tell a joke, maybe he could truly believe that he was Peter.

Kaine pulled away from the kiss, still close enough to feel Johnny’s breath on his lips. “Hips. Up,” he demanded.

“God, that’s hot,” Johnny mumbled. Kaine didn’t loosen his grip until Johnny finally moved to lift his hips. Kaine’s quickly moved to his hips, his touch gentle against his skin. He hooked his fingers on Johnny’s waistband and ripped his jeans off as if they were made out of paper. “ _Oh._ ”

“Oh?” Kaine smirked. He gave a quick squeeze to Johnny’s ass.

“ _That’s_ hot,” Johnny repeated, pressing a kiss against the corner of Kaine’s jaw.  “But are you _all show_ , Webs? Or are you gonna –”

Before Johnny could finish, Kaine moved his hand, wrapping his arm around Johnny and rolling him over. Johnny instinctly wrapped his legs around Kaine’s waist. Kaine rolled his hips. “Gonna _what_ , Johnny?”

“Fuck me, Kaine,” Johnny breathed. He wanted to tease him. He wanted to play him out. But he didn’t expect his strength to be such a turn on.

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Kaine pressed a kiss against Johnny before adjusting himself, leaning off of Johnny to work his own pants off. Johnny pressed his mouth against Kaine’s shoulder, mumbling something about how his designer pants were ripped off, but Kaine’s Levi’s weren’t destroyed. But sure, whatever. His pants could be destroyed for the greater good.

Kaine pulled up from Johnny and reached to the side table, pulling out a condom and lube from the drawer. Johnny looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Did you plan this out?”

“We were both at that bar, Johnny,” Kaine said, lubing his fingers. Johnny leaned back into the pillows, spreading his thighs for Kaine. Kaine pressed a kiss against Johnny’s thigh, running a hand up his leg and gripped his hip. He slowly eased his finger in Johnny, pulling a soft moan from his lips. Kaine smirked as he continued to work Johnny open. “We know we were both planning this out.”

“If you’re feeling a Trojan rather than a Durex, you can –“ Johnny stifled a moan as Kaine worked another finger into him. “—Find one in in my jeans.”

“Which half?”

“Ha ha,” Johnny said, attempting to move his hips to get a better touch, but Kaine’s strong grip kept his hips against the bed. “Didn’t know that you had a funny bone.”

“It’s a Parker trait,” Kaine said, working a third finger into Johnny. “It comes with the name.”

Johnny opened his mouth, a snarky comment on the tip of his tongue, but it was quickly lost to a moan. Kaine grinned, leaning down to press a kiss against the base of his neck. He moved his kisses to the side of his neck, nipping gently.

“What was that, Hot Stuff?” Kaine murmured against Johnny’s skin. He nipped at the skin again before soothing it with his tongue. Johnny tangled his fingers in Kaine’s hair, eyes closed as he mapped out Kaine’s body heat.

“Mhm, not important anymore,” Johnny said, fully accepting his loss. “What’s important is your mouth, your fingers and –“ Kaine curled his fingers. Johnny breath hitched. “And you.”

“You’re just saying that because there’s something in it for you,” Kaine pressed another kiss behind Johnny’s ear.

“Is it working?”

“I fucking hate to admit it,” Kaine kissed Johnny, hard and a little clumsily before pulling away and slowly easing out his fingers. Johnny let out a soft whine at the sudden lack of pressure. Kaine reached for the condom left on the side table. He opened it and rolled it on his cock. “But yeah, it kind of is.”

“Good,” Johnny said. He wrapped his legs around Kaine’s waist as Kaine slowly eased himself into Johnny. He lean his head back into the pillows, eyes closed. “A-ah. _Good_.”

Kaine pressed another kiss against Johnny’s exposed neck. “Good,” he repeated, pressing another kiss up his neck, working his way back up to Johnny’s lips. He cupped Johnny’s jaw, guiding him back for a slow, gentler kiss. If he could pretend, even for a moment, that they could actually have a chance at love – at a life like this – maybe that would be enough.

Kaine started slow at first, easing himself in and out of Johnny, before picking up the pace.

Any time Johnny caught a glimpse of Kaine, he saw Peter. His touch felt like Peter, sending electricity and warmth through his body with every touch.

“That’s it,” Johnny mumbled through the kiss. He reached up to brush loose locks out of Kaine’s face, tangling his fingers in his hair. “That’s good. Harder.”

Kaine complied. He thrusted harder and deeper into Johnny. His mouth gaped open, a moan stuck in his throat. Kaine moved his mouth, catching Johnny’s bottom lip between his teeth before returning kisses against his throat. Johnny tightened his fingers in Kaine’s hair, pulling slightly.

“Perfect,” His voice strained. “Again.”

“Demanding,” Kaine laughed against his throat as he followed Johnny’s commands. Johnny threw his head back into the pillows, his moan finding its way out. “Again,” Kaine said, his voice low as he thrusted hard, pulling another moan out of Johnny.

“Again,” Johnny begged. “Pete, please –“

Kaine thrusted harder, stifling a moan against Johnny’s neck. Johnny dug his heel into the small of Kaine’s back. His arm wrapped around Kaine, digging his fingers into his shoulder for a better grip. He needed Kaine closer.

Johnny’s breathing became uneven as Kaine worked himself into him faster. Harder. Their touches – Johnny moving his hand from Kaine’s hair to his jaw, pulling him in for a sloppy kiss, Kaine running his hand up and down Johnny’s chest – felt too familiar. As if they were meant to fit together, desperate to find their way back home. But it was a façade. They both knew it. An indulgence into a bittersweet daydream. A life never meant to be.

Johnny broke the kiss with a loud moan, digging his fingernails into Kaine’s skin. “Peter, I need – I need –“

“I got you,” Kaine said, pressing another kiss against his lips before moving to his jaw. His hand wrapped around Johnny’s cock. He stroked Johnny, a few times alone before moving in sync with his thrusts. Johnny threw his head back with a moan.

He hardly recognized his voice as he called Peter’s name as he came.

Johnny held onto Kaine as he fucked him. His fingers tight in his hair. Kaine’s mouth on his neck, pressing hot kisses against his skin. He leaned up, hovering over Johnny as he fucked him harder.

Johnny leaned back into the pillow, his hand moved from Kaine’s hair to his jaw. Kaine tilted his head to kiss Johnny’s palm. His hair, messy and damp with sweat, framed his face. His gentle kisses, a byproduct of a rough past, were unexpected but pleasant. A rugged man with baggage too heavy for his strong arms to carry.

Kaine truly was beautiful.

But Johnny couldn’t help but think about Peter as Kaine came in him.

Kaine leaned down, pressing a final kiss against Johnny’s lips – gentle and long, but with a bittersweet taste. He pulled himself off of Johnny and laid down next to him on the bed. Johnny hesitated, waited for Kaine to tell him he could go, before deciding against leaving.

Johnny rolled over, his arm draped over Kaine’s chest. His fingers traced the scars on his chest, as if they were maps of rivers.

“A few more minutes,” Johnny said, unsure if he was asking permission or promising. “A few more of this …”

“ _Distraction_ ,” Kaine said, finishing Johnny’s sentence. “Yeah. Stay. For a few. Please.”

Johnny leaned up, stealing another quick kiss, knowing that eventually that they would need to part. They couldn’t stay together – it wouldn’t work. They wanted something that they both couldn’t have. And it belonged to Peter.


End file.
